Here’s to TV, etc.

TV Toaster is a blog dedicated to reviews of movies (some new), TV shows (mostly old), and music (we prefer the classics). We also feature quotes, favorite scenes, and other goodies that catch my eye and keep me amused.

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Archive for July, 2010

When I think of “tv shows I liked better when I was younger,” two immediately come to mind:

1) Beauty and the Beast – when I first watched this show I thought it was OH-so-romantic. Now, I don’t really feel the need to watch it again.

2) Knight Rider – I admit it: I was crazy about this show as a kid. (I’m pretty sure the bulk of my fascination was with the talking car.) Looking back, it was really a pretty generic offering… with an increasingly conceited star.

So there you are. Two shows that I’m pretty much “over.”

But to be fair, if I did watch them again, I just might rediscover their appeal. (Maybe.)

The Kid Rock song “All Summer Long” annoys me with two particular phrasings.

1) In one verse he sings:

“Splashing through the sand bar
Talking by the campfire
It’s the simple things in life, like when and where.
We didn’t have no Internet
But man I never will forget
The way the moonlight shined upon her hair.”

I know he’s musing over the simple things of life back then, but his transition from “no Internet” to moonlight shining on her hair strikes me as awkwardly sudden.

2) In the Chorus he says:

“And we were trying different things
We were smoking funny things
Making love out by the lake
To our favorite song…”

The writing seems a bit lazy. I mean, couldn’t he have used the word “things” to end *every* line? Such as:

“And we were trying different things,
And we were rhyming things with things,
Making things out by the things,
And some other things…”

And that’s very good. Confidence is good, and it’s certainly good to not pay attention to what “they” say, because “they” can be a very fickle bunch. Trying to please “them” will often prove to be quite impossible.

But then she proceeds:

“I am beautiful in every, single way”

Every. Single. Way. Really?? At this point, she crosses the line from confidence to being completely oblivious to her faults, and that is *not* so good.

Eh, maybe I’m overthinking it. She (or whoever wrote the song) was probably just looking for a rhyme.

In the song, “Escape” (a.k.a. “The Pina Colada Song”) by Rupert Holmes, the singer tells of reading a personal ad that starts:

“If you like Pina Coladas
And gettin’ caught in the rain
If you’re not into yoga
If you have half a brain…”

And he’s intrigued by this person, so he starts his reply:

“Yes I like Pina Coladas
And gettin’ caught in the rain
I’m not much into health food
I am into champagne…”

Fom the way he matches what she said in the first and second lines, I’ve often thought that the “not much into health food” line is supposed to be a joke. As in, she doesn’t want someone who’s into yogA, so he replies – trying to sound knowledgeable, as if they’re on the same level – to express that indeed he does not like yogURT. 😀

In Carrie Underwood’s song “Before He Cheats” she talks about getting revenge on her cheating man by damaging his truck. At one point she says that she carved her name into his leather seats. Just a thought: although the louse may have deserved a good truck-beating, vandalism is a crime, so you probably don’t want to sign your name to it.

(Originally Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 9:08 am)
—

In the Jackson Five version of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” at one point they say that Santa is going to find out “who’s naughty and nice.” Shouldn’t it be “naughty or nice”? Or “who’s naughty and who’s nice”? To me, “who’s naughty and nice” just sounds wrong, like the same person is both.

(Originally Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 1:44 pm)
—

I heard (from a know-it-all that I worked with) that in Eric Clapton’s song, “I Shot the Sheriff”, “if you listen closely to that song, you’ll hear that the sheriff shot the deputy.”

I heard that song yesterday, and I tried to find something to confirm that coworker’s theory. All I hear is that the singer notices Sheriff John Brown aimin’ to shoot him down. I even looked up the lyrics to be sure. Maybe it’s implied that the Sheriff did fire, but it’s not specifically said.

(Originally Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 8:17 am)
—

In Klymaxx’s song “Meeting In The Ladies’ Room” the singer declares:

Don’t. Slap. Me.
‘Cuz I’m not in the mood.

And I love the song and that line especially, but you know, the way it’s phrased sounds like there WOULD be a time when the singer IS in a mood to be slapped.

(Originally Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 8:08 am)
—

In the Dire Straits song “Sultans of Swing,” the singer talks about a group of guys playing music, and he remarks that the person playing guitar is “strictly rhythm, he doesn’t want to make it cry or sing”. However, as that line is ending, the guitar player (showing off?) does just that, makes the guitar cry and sing. 😉

(Originally Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 6:39 pm
—

Not to take anything away from the considerable talent of John Mayer, but I find his song “Waiting For the World to Change” very annoying. The primary reason for this is the song’s message: “life’s not fair, so I’m just going to sit here and do nothing until things are the way I want them to be.” Granted, it can be very difficult and frustrating to try something when you feel you’re not getting anywhere, but at the same time, I feel that only those who are working to change things have a right to complain about them.

For this reason, I sing the line:

“That’s why we’re waiting
Waiting for the wo-orld to change”

as

“That’s why we wah-wah
Wah wah wah wah wa-ah wah wah”

(Originally Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 8:17 am)
—Found in an email I wrote in 2001:

Do you ever hear a song, and think how really ridiculous it is when you consider who is singing it and/or what they’re saying?Yes! As I write this an example song is playing – the one by Jennifer Lopez about her being “real.” Excuse me? Could there be a less real more diva type person to sing that song? Also when I hear N Sync and the like singing how they’ll be the one/be with us forever/ etc. I usually laugh out loud!

I saw Prince of Persia: Sands of Time on its opening weekend and made note of a few non-spoilery thoughts to share:

* At least one part of all the reviews is true: you can easily spot the bad guy within the first few minutes, although the other characters remain blissfully unaware.

* My one complaint: I did not appreciate their attempt at being political. It was absolutely unnecessary. In fact it was a distraction, because it pulled me out of the story (and into a state of annoyance) for several minutes.

* There is a boatload of violence – no surprise there, given its inspiration – but at least things happen fast. Maybe that was intentional as part of the video game feel.

* I liked the ending very much, but, at the same time, it feels kind of like, “You cheated.”

Overall, I found the movie fun and watchable. In fact, I plan to see it again before it leaves the theatre, and that’s the first movie I’ve been able to say that of for a long time.

—Favorite scenes from Prince of Persia

After seeing Prince of Persia again, I feel compelled to describe some of my favorite scenes.

CAUTION! BIG TIME SPOILERS! SERIOUSLY, DO NOT READ IF YOU WANT TO BE SURPRISED!

As Dastan is scaling the walls of Alamut (in a very video-game moment) to break in during the Persian attack, his comrade is shooting arrows from a crossbow into the stone wall for Dastan to climb on. After several hits precisely where they were needed, the archer misses, and the arrow bounces off the wall as Dastan is reaching for it. Dastan casts an annoyed glance over his shoulder. A fellow Persian scolds the archer, “Have you been *drinking*?” [Side comment: the guy asking the question here reminds me of the Ben Affleck character in “Shakespeare in Love” when they’re at practice for the play and a displeased Ben critiques another actor’s performance by asking, “Are you going to do it like *that*?”]

Having fled after being framed, Prince Dastan camps out in the desert. Princess Tamina, knowing that Dastan has the time-shifting dagger (although he has no idea of its powers), wormed her way into going with him. That night, using her feminine wiles to get close to him, she suddenly attacks, trying to obtain the dagger. Dastan defends himself and retaliates, but in doing so, he accidentally activates the dagger, sending him back one minute in time to when she’s trying to get close to him. Understandably, Dastan is disoriented, but he recovers enough to realize that she’s about to attack. And she strikes again, this time slashing him across the chest. Mortally wounded, he decides to try the dagger again, and it works again, undoing his wound and sending him back to the moment just before her attack. Stunned, he asks, “Did you see that?” Tamina moves again to enact her plan (for the third time, although she’s unaware of this). Dastan grabs her arm and growls, “Go for that sword again, and I swear, I’ll break your arm.” Surprised and alarmed that he knows her intention, Tamina gasps, “‘Again’?”

Sheik Amar asks Dastan where he found Tamina. Not wanting to reveal who she really is – and who *he* really is – Dastan lies that he traded a camel for her in a (slave) market. The suspicious sheik doesn’t believe him. “A camel?” he scoffs. “Look at her. She’s worth at least two.”

After the battle with the spike-thrower, Seso smiles briefly at his victory, but then his face turns sad/pained and he looks down. The camera pans out to reveal spikes embedded in his chest. As his last act, he throws the time-shifting dagger out the window, and it lands precisely where the others are waiting. As a memoriam, Sheik Amar says proudly, “Have I told you about the Ngbaka?” And Dastan, similarly respectful of Seso’s skills – and sacrifice – says simply, “Yes. You have.”

REPEAT! MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE ENDING FOLLOW!

After time has been reset back to the point where Dastan first got the dagger, he stands by as his brother, Tus, apologizes for the wrongful attack. When Dastan sees Tamina, he sort of catches his breath, and then waits as his brother starts talking about a union. No doubt Dastan is thinking that Tus wants to marry her, but this time Tus offers that she marry Dastan.